Washing machine rib



w-3, 1936- w. o. MANLEY 2,053,912

WASHING MACHINE RIB Filed March 22, 1934 INVENTOR. 23 W77/fam QMan/ey BY p" i ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE "2.053.,912 WASHING MACHINE RIB William 0. Manley, Kansas City, Mo. Application March 22, 1934, Serial No. 716322 7 Claims.

My invention relates to washing machine ribs, and more particularly to a metal shod wooden rib for washing machine cylinders.

In wash-ing machines, particularly those used 5 for commercial laundry purposes, it has been found to be highly desirableto utilize ribs projecting inwardly from the cylindrical wall of the washing machine cylinder to agitate and carry the clothing, or other articles that are being washed, upwardly'toward the top of the machine in order that the 'samecan be given a motion in and out of the washing-liquid in the machine. Various kinds of cylinders have been utilized, but there are certain 'desirable features in connection with wooden cylinders that are well recognized, and with such wooden cylinders, wooden ribs have been commonly used. However, the wear on wooden ribs is so great that after utilization thereof for a certain,period'of time in the ordi- 20 nary course of laundry operation, these wear down, particularly at the center portions thereof,

that is, between the end walls of the cylinder,

until the same are. no longer effective,jtaking on a gradual curvature from the end walls toward the middle of each rib. l

In order to eliminate this diiiiculty, metallic sheathings have been provided for such wooden ribs. Howevenmuch dlfificulty results in theme of (such metal 'she'athings, because any fastening elements that may be utilized for holding the same in position on the ribs cause damage to clothing that may "bewashed in the, machine. It has accordingly been customary to provide a complete sheathing for each rib, extending into the cylinder wall of the wooden cylinder and fastened either mt'hin the cylindrical wall or out side the cylinder, so that, no exposed metallic edges or projecting fastening elements would'be located within the washing chamber formed by 40 the cylinder. Inasmuch as these. metallic facings must be made out of'material that has no tendency to rust and corrode, it is necessary to use a very high grade non-corrosive alloy for this purpose, and thismakes such metal covered ribs extremely expensive.

As the majorportion of the wear occurs along the inner face "01 the rib, or that face that is directed toward" the axis 'of the cylinder, and the adjacent side w'all portions of the rib, it is only 50 necessarytoprotect with metal these portions of each rib. However, the means for so protecting the rib 'in'ust be so mounted on the rib that there will be -no sharp edges of any 'kind exposed anywhere Within the washing machine cylinder that might tear or catch the "clothing, or other articles that are being washed within the cylinder.

It is accordingly a purpose of my invention to provide a metal shod rib that has a metal covering only at the inner end thereof overlying the o inner face and portions of the side faces adjacent the inner face of each rib, and to so interfit the rib and the metallic sheathing or covering, that the same will be firmly interlocked and secured in position without the use of any secur- '10 ing elements that would be exposed and project into the washing cylinder, and without any rough edges or sharp edges of the sheath itself exposed within said cylinder. This is accomplished by providing grooves in the ribs in which flanges 'on the sheathing fit, the same being interfitted 'by a longitudinal sliding of the sheathing onto the rib and being held in such position byv the end walls of the cylinder, thus making it unnecessary to use any fastening means thatv would be exposed, and providing a covering for all the free edges of the sheathing, the end walls covering the free edges at the ends of the sheathing, and the rib itself covering. the free edges of the V I sheathing on the inturned flanges thereof that fit in the grooves in the ribs. v

Inasmuch as the Wooden ribs tend to swell in the water, the ribs are dressed down so as to be somewhat smaller in dimensions than the sheath: ing fitting around the same so as to leave a slight space between the sheathing and the adjacent portion of the rib to permit such swelling of the rib as would take place due to it becoming wet, without any danger of this swelling forcing the sheathing off the rib. The sheathing may be substantially flush with the side faces of the rib, or project very slightly beyond the side faces.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appearas the description of the drawing proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details of structure shown or described,

except as defined in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a washing machine, to which my invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. p

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a washing machine-cylinder, and

Fig. 4 is a, fragmentary view, partly in perspective and partly in section, of my improved washing machine cylinder rib.

Referring in detail to the drawing, my invention may be applied to any washing machine utilizing wooden ribs in a cylinder, but in order to show one application thereof, I have shown generally a washing machine of a commonly used type having metallic frame members 5, which have bearings B for stub shafts carried by the cylinder of the machine. Said stub shafts are rotated alternately a plurality of times in opposite directions by a reversing mechanism of which the pulleys 1 form a part. A controlling lever 8 is provided for controlling the operations of the machine. The bearing portions 6 support an outer casing or housing having the end walls 9 and the cylindrical wall portion I0, which is" shown as being made up of wooden slats or boards. The casing made up of the end walls 9 and the cylindrical wall portion In provides a liquid tight housing for the cylinder and an outlet I for the liquid is provided, whereby the washing liquid can be removed when this is desired.

Mounted within this casing is shown a wooden cylinder having the end walls |2, which are fixed to the stub shafts previously referred to, which are not shown herein, but which carry the flanges I3, by means of which said end walls are secured to said shafts so as to rotate therewith. The cylinder is provided with a cylindrical wall portion made up of the longitudinally'extending wooden slats l4, which are provided with a plurality of perforations l5, and which are secured to the end walls |2 in any desired manner, the end walls being shown as being made up of a plurality of boards l6, certain of these boards fitting in grooves provided in the slats l4. A plurality of said slats H are secured together to form a door, through which access is had to the cylinder, these being secured to the cylinder by means of the hinges l8. The outer casing is also provided with a door I9, and the door on the cylinder can be aligned with the door I9 to obtain access to the interior of the cylinder.

Interposed between certain of the slats l4 and forming a portion of the cylindrical wall of the rotating cylinder, are the ribs 20, said ribs extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical wall of the washing machine cylinder toward the center or axis of rotation thereof. Said ribs are relatively thick, and, preferably, extend into the cylinder a substantial distance, so as to produce a marked agitating effect on the contents of the cylinder. Said ribs 20 are preferably made of wood, and are provided with a metallic facing or sheathing 2| on the inner end thereof. Said facing or sheathing 2| comprises a transversely extending portion 22, which overlies the inner face 23 of the rib 20, being slightly spaced therefrom, as will be clear from Fig. 4, when the rib 20 is dry, as, prior to being placed in the machine, and having side flanges 24 which extend along the side walls 25 of the rib 20, adjacent the inner ends of said side walls, said side walls being cut away, as indicated at 26, to space said side walls from said flanges 24. Said flanges 24 are substantially flush on their outer faces with the side faces 25 of the ribs 20, projecting only slightly outwardly beyond the same.

Inturned flanges 26 running lengthwise of the facings 2|, are also provided thereon at the outer edges of the flanges 24, the outer surface of the same being curved at 21 at the junction: of the flanges 26 with the flanges 24. Said inturned flanges 26 fit snugly in grooves 28 provided in however, that the same cannot be readily slid lengthwise in the grooves to place the facing 2| on the ribs 20 by a longitudinal sliding movement of said facing relative to said rib. Of course, as the ribs swell the engagement of the flanges 26 in the grooves 28 will become tighter. The facings 2| run the full length of the inner faces of the rib 20 to the end walls |2, being engaged by the boards l6 that comprise said end walls, so as to prevent any exposure of the end edges of the facings to the articles being washed in the machine. The longitudinal side edges of the facings 2| are, of course, enclosed within the grooves 28, and thus the rib with its metallic facingzwill present only smooth edges to the clothing, or other articles being washed within the cylinder. The ribs 20 are preferably provided with reduced end portions 29 that are interfitted in openings 30 in certain of the boards I6, forming the end walls l2 of the cylinder.

When the washing machine is in use no appreciable wear whatsoever occurs to the metallic facing 2|, and after washing solution has been placed in the machine the ribs 20 are swelled, and this swelling will cause the walls 23 and 26 of the ribs to approach the inner faces of the facing so that the facing will fit substantially snugly on the ribs after such swelling has occurred. Also, due to the greater amount of swelling of the outer portion of the rib, at the side wall portions thereof, these side walls will be more nearly flush with the outer faces of the flanges 24 when the ribs are wet than when the same are dry. After a long period of use the only wear that appears on the ribs is a slight concavity of the side faces 25 outwardly from the flanges 24 toward the cylinder wall, and this slight concavity is advantageous, as it provides a better agitation for the contents of the cylinder than if the side face is absolutely flat.

It will be obvious upon reference to Fig. 4 that a very great saving, in the amount of metal used, results from the use of my improved rib, as only a small portion of the metal that would be necessary for completely enclosing the rib in metal, is utilized. Also all fastening elements are done away with. The facing members 2| are preferably made of a non-corrosive alloy, such as Monel metal, although other metals, such as brass, could be utilized. It is possible to use better alloy with the use of my improved rib, than has been previously the case, due to the fact that so much smaller an amount of rather expensive alloy is necessary for protecting each rib from wear.

I claim:

1. In a washing machine cylinder, a rib having a wooden body portion having deep narrow grooves in the side faces thereof, and a metallic facing on the inner end of said body portion only, having wide, longitudinally extending, inturned flanges on the side walls thereof mounted in said grooves, and said cylinder having means for holding said flanges against longitudinal movement in said grooves.

2. In a washing machine cylinder, a rib having a rectangular wooden body portion having grooves in the side faces thereof adjacent the free extremity of said rib, and a smooth, imperforate, metallic facing on the inner end of said body portion only, having longitudinal, right angular flanges mounted in said grooves, said facing conforming substantially to the shape of said body portion, but being slightly spaced from said body portion to permit swelling of said body portion within said facing, and said rib having the major portion of the wooden side faces thereof exposed.

3. In a washing machine cylinder, a rectangular wooden rib having longitudinally extending grooves in the side walls thereof adjacent the inner end thereof and a smooth sheet metal facing for said rib having a transverse portion overlying the inner face of said rib closely adjacent but in slightly spaced relation thereto, side flanges extending along opposite side faces of said rib to said grooves and wide inturned, longitudinal flanges extending into said grooves, said side flanges being closely adjacent but slightly spaced from said side faces.

4. In a Washing machine cylinder, a wooden rib having longitudinally extending grooves in the side walls thereof adjacent the inner end thereof extending substantially parallel to the inner end face of said rib, and a smooth, imperforate, sheet metal facing for said rib having a flat transverse portion overlying the inner face of said rib, flat side flanges extending along opposite side faces of said rib to said grooves and inturned, longitudinally extending flanges perpendicular to said side flanges fitting in said grooves, said rib being reduced in width under said facing to slightly space the side flanges of said facing therefrom, said side flanges having the outer faces thereof substantially in alignment with the side Walls of said rib outwardly from the facing.

5. In a washing machine, a cylinder having spaced wooden ribs extending inwardly from the inner face of said cylinder substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cylinder, the inner ends only of each of said ribs being shod with a smooth, imperforate, metallic facing channel-shaped in cross section, and cooperating means on said ribs and facings adjacent the inner ends of said ribs for holding said facings on said ribs, said means comprising longitudinal grooves provided in the side faces of said ribs and longitudinally extending inturned flanges on said channel-shaped facings seated in said grooves and means on said cylinder for holding said inturned flanges in interlocking relation to said grooves.

6. In a washing machine, a cylinder having spaced wooden ribs extending inwardly from the inner face of said cylinder substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cylinder, the inner ends only of each of said ribs being shod with a smooth, imperforate, metallic facing interfitting therewith, said ribs having the major portions of the wooden side walls thereof exposed, and said cylinder having end wall portions engaging the ends of the facings in a manner to prevent relative axial movement of said ribs and facings, the interfitting parts of said ribs and facings being formed to prevent movement of said facings radially of said cylinder.

7. In a washing-machine cylinder, a rib having a wooden body portion having a slight offset in the side faces thereof adjacent the inner end of said rib to provide a slightly reduced inner end portion thereon, said rib being also provided on each of the side faces thereof with a deep groove at said offset, and a metallic facing having its longitudinal edges terminating in flanges seated in said grooves and having an end wall and side walls spaced from the inner end face of said rib and from the side faces of said rib at said reduced portion, the spacing of the side and end walls of said facing from said rib being such that the rib will swell into engagement with said facing over the adjacent faces of said rib and facing without exerting any material stress on said facing upon said rib becoming saturated with moisture.

WILLIAM 0. MANLEY. 

